'Bridgerton' star thought she was 'going to be killed' during terrifying robbery that left her traumatized
In a new interview with The Times, the 27-year-old — who was in a London cafe when her phone was stolen off the table behind her in February — detailed the moment she instinctively decided to fight her assailant and the lasting impact the incident has had on her since then.
As seen in footage obtained by Fox News Digital, 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares grabbed Chenneour's phone while the actress — who was accompanied by her then-boyfriend Carlo Kureishi — was sitting on a stool waiting for her drink order. After quickly realizing what had happened, Chenneour confronted the thief.
"It was complete instinct," she told The Times. "I wouldn't advocate for anyone doing something that would put them at risk.
"The footage everyone has seen was actually the tamest part," she added. "I got on his back while [Kureishi] was on the floor holding him down. Then he threatened to stab me, and I thought I was going to be killed. I was terrified."
Chenneour said she was struck on the head and briefly lost consciousness during the ordeal.
WATCH: 'BRIDGERTON' ACTRESS FIGHTS OFF THIEF WHO TRIED TO STEAL HER PHONE IN LONDON CAFE
"My doctor later confirmed I had a concussion. I had dizzy spells for weeks afterwards and I was terrified of going out alone," she admitted. "I still am."
Boulares had 12 prior convictions, including for threatening to behead the Welsh singer Aled Jones with a 20-inch machete in July 2023, according to The Times. He had served just 14 months of a 24-month sentence for that crime.
Boulares pleaded guilty last month when he appeared in Westminster magistrates court.
"He needs to go to prison, and he needs psychological care," Chenneour told The Times. "If criminals are not rehabilitated properly they'll likely commit more — maybe worse — crimes."
In the months following the incident, Chenneour — who is no longer in a relationship with Kureishi — said she hit "rock bottom."
"After the phone incident and the break-up, I just hit rock bottom. Maybe this all has to happen so I can start afresh. It's been a major shock for me — and terrifying — but now I can prioritize my career, myself and my friends."
Appearing on "This Morning" on June 12, Chenneour recalled the ordeal as becoming a matter of "life and death" at the time.
"It kind of went round the corner, and it turned into a full-on scrap with two people [Boulares and his accomplice]," she said. "And I was threatened with being stabbed, so it became a real matter, in my mind, of life and death.
"So, I did things like, I remember kicking him back with my leg to create space in case he had a weapon on him… It was just a life-changing, crazy moment," she added.
The star admitted that the scuffle left her afraid to leave her home.
"I didn't want to go outside," she said.
"I mean, as a woman, we already, I think, have our wits about us around strangers and random men. So, to have this happen to me while dealing with that base level that a lot of women have, just made me quite agoraphobic. Leaving the house was really hard."
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